ere, probably, that he received the wound which rendered him
hors de combat. General Wickham succeeded him. In the stone fence there
were places where the stones had fallen or had been thrown down, making
openings through which horses could pass one, or at most two, at a time.
The Union cavalrymen made for these openings, not halting or hesitating
for an instant. The fence was taken and breaking through they put to
flight the confederate cavalrymen who did not stop until they found
refuge behind their infantry lines.

The union line was broken up too. The country for a mile was full of
charging columns--regiments, troops, squads--the pursuit taking them in
every direction where a mounted enemy could be seen. The cavalry
disposed of, the infantry was next taken in hand. Early's lieutenants,
finding their flank turned, changed front and tried hard to stem the
tide of defeat. The brigade became badly scattered. Custer with a
portion of it charged right up to a confederate battery, but failed to
get it, not having force enough at that point. The portion of the
command with which I found myself followed Lee's cavalry for a long
distance when, reaching the top of a slope over which they had gone in
their retreat, we found ourselves face to face with a strong line of
infantry which had changed front to receive us, and gave us a volley
that filled the air with a swarm of bullets. This stopped the onset for
the time, in that part of the field, and the cavalry fell back behind
the crest of the hill to reform and, to tell the truth, to get under
cover, for the infantry fire was exceedingly hot. They were firing at
just the right elevation to catch the horses, and there was danger that
our cavalrymen would find themselves dismounted, through having their
mounts killed.

As my horse swerved to the left, a bullet struck my right thigh and,
peeling the skin off that, cut a deep gash through the saddle to the
opening in the center. The saddle caused it to deflect upwards, or it
would have gone through the other leg. At the moment I supposed it had
gone through the right leg. Meeting General Custer I told him with some
pride that I was wounded and needed a surgeon. Not finding one I
investigated for myself and found that it was one of those narrow
escapes which a pious man might set down to the credit of providence or
a miracle. The wound was not serious and I proceeded to assist in
rallying as many men of the regiment as possible to r